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The first settlers arrived in 1865, aboard the Mimosa sailboat. They were escaping from the English penetration in their native country as well as from the attempt of the latter to impose their culture to them. They were looking for a virgin territory to be able to found the "New Wales" and follow their own rules and customs without being molested. Huge and virgin Patagonia was that promised land.... This way, Gaiman was born. Only 10 years later, it became the first district of the old Chubut Territory. A place full of history, undoubtedly. Not to mention a place full of inadvertent double-entendre.

When I went there, I visited a tea-house where they have a Diana, Princess of Wales teacup and saucer in a little glass case, as a sort of a shrine: you could see the tea-stain in the bottom of the cup, where she'd left it.

Actually, thinking about it, my native guide, Andres Accorsi, a man who is scared of nothing (except vegetables -- see the April 2001 entries on this blog) took a bunch of photos of me standing against bus shelters in the town and so on. If I can find one I'll stick it up on the website.